U
Umamah Bakharia
Guest
The Free State department of education has confirmed that it had to shut schools in the Xhariep district after 100 pupils were infected with influenza B and human rhinovirus.
The grades R to grade 5 classes at Philippolis Primary School and Bergmanshoogte Primary School were the hardest hit, with six out of 96 pupils who tested positive having to be admitted to hospital.
“As soon as we received advice from the department of health to suspend classes, we instructed the schools to send pupils home in order to avoid any further spread as we were told these viruses were highly contagious,” Free State department of education spokesperson Howard Ndaba said in a statement.
Both viruses are common in children, contagious and can cause mild to severe symptoms.
According to the World Health Organisation, treatment is focused on relieving symptoms until the body clears the virus naturally.
Rhinoviruses may cause sore throats, ear infections and infections of the sinuses. Influenza B causes a respiratory illness that infects the nose, throat and sometimes the lungs. The virus in severe conditions may cause abdominal discomfort.
Ndaba said the Free State education department was working with the health department to establish the cause of the outbreak.
“The department rejects the rumours that the outbreak is a result of food poisoning emanating from school nutrition meals as a pure conjecture devoid of any facts,” he said.
Both schools in the Xhariep district have been closed from 7 to 13 March while fumigation and preventative measures are carried out to mitigate the effect of the outbreak.
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The grades R to grade 5 classes at Philippolis Primary School and Bergmanshoogte Primary School were the hardest hit, with six out of 96 pupils who tested positive having to be admitted to hospital.
“As soon as we received advice from the department of health to suspend classes, we instructed the schools to send pupils home in order to avoid any further spread as we were told these viruses were highly contagious,” Free State department of education spokesperson Howard Ndaba said in a statement.
Both viruses are common in children, contagious and can cause mild to severe symptoms.
According to the World Health Organisation, treatment is focused on relieving symptoms until the body clears the virus naturally.
Rhinoviruses may cause sore throats, ear infections and infections of the sinuses. Influenza B causes a respiratory illness that infects the nose, throat and sometimes the lungs. The virus in severe conditions may cause abdominal discomfort.
Ndaba said the Free State education department was working with the health department to establish the cause of the outbreak.
“The department rejects the rumours that the outbreak is a result of food poisoning emanating from school nutrition meals as a pure conjecture devoid of any facts,” he said.
Both schools in the Xhariep district have been closed from 7 to 13 March while fumigation and preventative measures are carried out to mitigate the effect of the outbreak.
Continue reading...